Improvement in railway-tracks



B. F. CARD. Railway-Track.

No. 208,957. Patented Oct. 15, I878.

view of my rail, partly in section.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN F. CARD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAI LWAY-TRACKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 208,957, dated October15, 1878 applicationfiled September 17, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. CARD, of the city of Brooklyn, in thecounty of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Attachment for Rails, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, andaccuratedescription.

The object of my improvement is, by means of the mechanism hereinafterdescribed, to soften or deadcn the noise of cars or trains running onthe rails of railroads, either elevated or surface.

In the drawing, Figure 1 represents a side Fig. 2 is a cross-sectionthereof in the plane of the line a: a, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top view of aportion of the lower stringer.

My improvement is constructed as follows:

On the ties or sleepers H H are placed longitudinally two woodenstringers, A and B, one above the other. On the top of the stringer B isplaced the ordinary track-rail C. At suitable distances apart spiralsprings E, or other springs made of sufficient length to project abovethe top of the stringer A, are placed in tubes, cylinders, or pedestalsD. On the top of these springs E the stringer B rests.

The stringers A andB are so arranged with reference to the springs Ethat a small space is left between the stringers A and B.

The spiral springs E are made of sufficient strength and tension to bearthe ordinary pressure of a train of cars. The said pedestals I) aresecured to plates to and I), which plates a and b are secured to thestringers A and B by bolts or other suitable means. Through the centerof these spiral springs E is passed a bolt, F, the upper end of which isrigidly secured to plate a, and the other or lower end passes throughthe plate I). The lower end of said bolt F has a nut, c, which is usedto tighten or loosen said bolt F, and thus secure its proper adjustment.

At suitable distances apart are also placed plates or angle-irons G,which are attached to the ties or sleepers H H, and also to the stringerA.

The operation of my improvement is as follows: WVhen a train of cars ispassing over the track-rail C it is depressed, thereby depressing thestringer B and causing the spiral springs E to contract, but not to suchan extent as to allow the stringers A and B to touch each other to suchan extent as to communicate the vibration of the stringer B to stringerA and its superstructure. The communication of the vibration ofthe'stringer B and-the track-rail 0, caused by the passage of a train ofcars over the same, is interrupted in its passage to the stringer A,thereby deadening or lessening the sound ordinarily occasioned by thepassage of a train over ordinary track-rails.

The angleirons G, secured and arranged as above set forth, prevent anylateral or swaying motion of the stringer B.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with the stringer A, the stringer B, separated andsupported above the stringer A by springs E, holding the ordinarytrack-rail O, for the purpose above set v and separated from thestringer A by spiral springs E, fitting into tubes, cylinders, orpedestals D, surrounding the bolt F, for theuses and purposes above setforth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this14th day of September, 1878.

BENJAMIN F. CARD. In presence of- EDGARJ. PHILLIPS, R. '1. VAN BOSKERCK.

